Barely a month after lifting the covers on the second-generation of its mid-luxury sedan Lexus is back and charging into the Frankfurt Motor Show with the updated 2013 Lexus GS 450h hybrid.

During a Pebble Beach preview, Toyota Motor Co. CEO Akio Toyoda underscored the importance of the Lexus GS line. Though it might not be the luxury brand’s flagship – a space reserved for the bigger LS – the GS has been as close as it comes to the heart and soul of the Lexus division.

Designed to Impress!

The GS 350 shown last month is a fair bit sportier and more refined than the original sedan. And the Lexus GS 450h is no different there. But there’s been a bit of a shift in its mission. The original hybrid put the emphasis on performance and was actually a bit quicker than the standard-issue GS sedan. This time, Lexus is focusing on fuel-efficiency and claims the GS 450h delivers a 30% improvement over the gas-powered model.

A number of Lexus vehicles, including the hybrid GS 450h, are among the latest to face recalls.

Toyota Motor Corporation (7203.TO) confirmed late yesterday in Tokyo that it would recall 270,000 luxury vehicles around the world to fix an engine stalling or rough idling problem. No current models are apparently involved.

The latest quality and safety problem follows recalls earlier this year of about 8.5 million vehicles for unintended acceleration or stuck throttle problems, among other defects.

Last week Toyota informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it would that it will recall 17,000 2010 model year Lexus HS 250h vehicles in the U.S. because they violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 301, which limits the amount of fuel that can leak after a rear impact. (See Another Toyota Recall Coming on Lexus Hybrids) NHTSAdiscovered the defect first.

Recalls!

The beleaguered automaker, which once had an unimpeachable quality reputation, said the valvetrain of 4.6-liter V8 engines and 3.5-liter V6 engines used in the Lexus LS460, Lexus LS600h, Lexus LS600hL, Lexus GS350, Lexus GS450h, Lexus GS460 and Lexus IS350 and the Toyota Crown is making the luxury cars stall. “Contaminated material” was used during the manufacturing process.

About 270,000 vehicles are affected, 90,000 were sold in Japan and the balance overseas.